King’s congress address was the words of a ‘wise friend’ – Lionel Richie

Superstar singer Lionel Richie has praised the King’s speech to the US Congress, describing Charles as a wise friend “giving advice as to what we should be doing”.

Richie was among a host of celebrity supporters of the King’s Trust who joined its founder and the Queen on Wednesday to celebrate the charity’s work and showcase the UK’s cultural impact on New York.

The gathering of stars, which included Italian fashion designer Donatella Versace , fashion guru Anna Wintour , British creative Stella McCartney and model Iman , came at the end of a whirlwind royal day in Manhattan.

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The King and Queen began by declaring they stood “in enduring solidarity with the American people” when they commemorated those killed during the September 11 terrorist attacks.

Charles and Camilla’s words of sympathy were written in a message left with a bouquet of flowers placed at the imposing memorial in New York, honouring the thousands of people who lost their lives almost 25 years ago.

In contrast to the poignant moment, the Queen later met Sex and the City star Sarah Jessica Parker at an event celebrating literature at the New York Public Library, with the actress saying Camilla’s visit was “great for all New Yorkers”.

Richie, the first global ambassador and chairman of the Global Ambassador Group for the King’s Trust, said about Charles’ address on Tuesday on Capitol Hill: “I thought it was brilliant and how he threaded the needle – so brilliant, but brought us back into humanity as only he can do
“A friend, giving advice as to what we should be doing, a wise friend.”
Charles has been praised for his speech which outlined the issues, values and priorities important to the UK and many of its allies, from support for Ukraine to the threat to the environment and the importance of the rule of law.

The New York Times said: “Beneath King Charles’s jokes and decorum, some subtle rebuttals to Trump, King Charles III gently pushed back against President Trump’s attacks on Britain and Nato, and he spoke of the importance of checks and balances.”
During the reception at Christie’s auction house, Charles began by making the audience laugh when he told them: “I hesitate to make another speech because I may have had enough”.

The monarch, who has cancer, joked “as we look to the future, I won’t see the long-distance future” and he urged those in the room to “champion the next generation”.

Charles and Camilla will end their four-day state visit, the King’s first trip to the US as monarch, on Thursday by marking the 250th anniversary of US independence.

The royal couple will travel to Virginia to join residents at a “block-party” featuring food and entertainment to celebrate America, the creation of the nation’s Founding Fathers described by Charles in his Congress address as “bold and imaginative rebels with a cause”.

In one of America’s national parks, the King will meet one of the area’s indigenous communities and people involved in conservation initiatives and efforts to protect the natural environment.

Separately, the Queen will visit a farm to highlight the work of America’s horse racing industry and the long-term links with the sport in the UK.

In a rare interview, the Queen said the trip had been “wonderful”.

Speaking to NBC, in an interview to be broadcast in the US on Thursday, Camilla told Jenna Bush Hager: “Everybody’s been very kind and welcoming.”